River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-09-01
MISTAKEN CHARITY.

mlSIAhE I'm CHARITY.
ii call it extra extravaganza" said
Mrs. Mopley, with some heat. MRS.
barrow is well able to bake her own
cake and do her own mending, yet she
hires Mrs. Tate by the day to mend
stockings, and do such light work for
her, and pays her IS cents apiece or
5Ocents, or even dollar, as thecase may
be, for cakes. | call that extravaganza,
for Mr.. Darrow's none too well off. "
"Mrs. barrow works hard, though,
put in little Miss Vest, mildly.
"Ye-es. | know, she always seems to
be busy, admitted Mrs .Mopley. But she
seems to be embroidering great deal
Il have heard she sells her work in
The city and gets good price for it.
HIN" said Mrs. Mopley, doubt
fully, 1.-THE market for fancy work is
dreadfully over-crowded, | understand
| should hardly think anybody so far
away as Red Wing would stand much
chance of selling things"
"But | thought that Mrs. barrow is
what they call an expert"
AT any rate, would manage to do
my own baking, and my own mending.
| call it shiftless not to-
Mrs. Mopley spoke severely, and as
the richest woman in Red Wing, a
small town situated not so far west as
its name might indicate, she felt that
her influence should be given strongly
against shiftlessness.
But" went on Miss Vest, who
was making morning call, for business
purposes, on Mrs Mopley. II must
not forget that 1 want you TO head the
subscription for the home Mission
aries"
II will do so gladly" said Mrs.
Mopley, who was proud of her '.chari-
table" disposition. ''Let me see. How
much did / give last year! l think it
it was ten dollars"
So Mrs. Mopley put down ten dollars,
and little Miss Vest moved on.
1t was perhaps an hour latter that
shabby, but respectable looking.
woman rang Mrs. Mopley's bell, ard
was shown into her parlor by the one
house servant that Mrs. Mopley kept
1t was the height of luxury in Red Wing
to keep one servant and coachman-
Mrs. Mopley's establishment"
Good morning, Mrs. Tate" said
Mrs. Mopley, rather reservedly, as she
entered the parlor. Il hope your
| husband is better"
Mrs. Tate and Mrs. Mopley had been
10 school together, but that was long
time ago, too long for the friendly old
relations to last really, and they had
not seen each other often of late years
''No. he is not" began Mrs. Tate,
her voice trembling a little, We had
saved up a little something besides
paying for our house, but this long
illness has used up every thing we had,
| have sewed good deal. Mrs. Oar
row very kindly employs me for one
day each week, and | could do even
more than that, if there was ANYBODY
else to employ me. Then you know |
have paid good deal of attention to
cooking, and if you want anything
done in that line | wish you would
let me try to do it.
Mrs. Tate's voice had grown firm
before she had finished. She had thought
the matter over so much that she hoped
10 get through without an instant's
wavering.
I'm not one of the extravagant kind
you know, Mrs. Tate" said Mrs
Mopley, somewhat coldly. "But / can
not see an old friend suffer-"
She drew her purse from her pocket.
Mrs Tate rose with dignity.
IL do not ask for charity" she said
| merely ask for work"
''But | can't afford to put out my
work, y insisted Mrs. Mopley.
II need it badly enough, HEAVIER
knows" exclaimed Mrs. Tate, with a
burst of tears. which she could not help
But | cannot take it without returning
something for it. Why should it cost
you any more, if should give you s.
worth of work for it than if | gave moth
ing at all? Is it not a truer charity to
give the poor work than to give them
money, and so take away their self
respect?"
Mrs Mopley stood irresolute, holding
the S. bill in her hand.
IL don't know but you are right.
Esther" she said, her friends heart
broken eloquence leveling for the time
the barriers between them. Il have
been trying to do something for you
for good while. l thought would
send You basket of things"
but am well and strong" inter
rupted Mrs. Tate. My children are
old enough to take care of themselves,
and to 90 to school alone. All that
want is work. | am fair seamstress
and a good cook. There are my baked
beans. my fishballs, my crullers, and
different sort of cake and pies. think
could suit you with any of them"
You may send me UP some fishballs
and baked beans every Saturday after
noon, Esther" said Mrs. Mopley, has
tily. As though she was afraid her reso-
luton would give out before she finish
ed speaking. "And ] have promised
to contribute two cakes to the sOciable to-
morrow evening. Make me two of your
incest, please. And have a silk dress
| am just ripping and sponging for a
comfortable. You might do that if you
like; I'll send it down to your house.
Butt can't help feeling as though this
were rather foolish for me who am so
well as to do it all myself"
Il don't want to urge you to extrava-
gance," said Mrs. Tate. rising and
looking harassed and nervous.
mo, no" exclaimed Mrs Mopley.
selling her hands impulsiyeiy. II am
sure you are right. | believe l have
had some vain and silly notions about
charity and helping others. | am al
ways complaining that have no time
to read, nor to practice my music, nor
to entertain my friends. | have done
too much of this work which others
might do, and which would help them
and then | have given money and
thought was doing all | ought But
you have said just the right thing to
me. | shall know better how to help
people after this"
You see what we poor people want
is work. and that is better for every
l. I Al IL